Pasadena City College Among 11 Local Community Colleges Receiving $11.6 Million to Expand Apprenticeship Programs

On Monday a consortium of Los Angeles community colleges based in Pasadena announced an award of $11,601,489 to expand apprenticeship programs across Los Angeles County. 

The apprenticeship model, long-held as the gold standard for workforce recruiting, training and development, eliminates the barrier between education, training, and employment. Such programs are said to have been proven effective in serving greater numbers and diverse populations that result in high-skill and high-wage employment. 

Supported by the State Chancellor’s Office and hosted at Pasadena City College, the Los Angeles Regional Consortium’s primary objective is to bridge the gap between workforce preparedness and employer needs in the LA region.

“Through this expansion of our apprenticeship programs, our community colleges aim to close the skills, employment, and equity gaps for a greater number of Los Angeles residents and to put more people on the path to career and economic mobility,” said Dr. Erika Endrijonas, Superintendent-President, Pasadena City College, Co-Chair, Los Angeles Regional Consortium. 

Pasadena City College will receive $360,000 for chef, film and TV assistant, and electric vehicle charger repair technician apprenticeship training.

Designed by employers and educators, apprenticeship programs were developed to provide professionals in the skilled trades hands-on training and in-classroom instruction that prepared workers to make an impact on day one. The model was so successful it has been replicated across multiple sectors from healthcare, to information technology, to early care and education, the consortium said. 

Governor Newsom has set a goal of serving 500,000 earn-and-learn apprenticeships by 2029. Currently, California has served roughly 100,000, but more must be done to scale the growth of registered apprenticeships. As part of the California Community Colleges ongoing efforts to meet the state’s and Los Angeles County’s need for an educated and skilled workforce, the Los Angeles apprenticeship expansion funding was made possible by the California Apprenticeship Initiative New & Innovative (CAI N&I) Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Grant Program.   

“Los Angeles is ground zero for achieving the Governor’s statewide apprenticeship goals,” added Dr. Mary Gallagher, President, Los Angeles City College, Co-Chair, Los Angeles Regional Consortium. “Between our cutting-edge innovation companies and our diverse population centers, Los Angeles community colleges are excited to expand the reach of our apprenticeship programs.” 

The Los Angeles Regional Consortium has also created a regional Apprenticeship Network called LAUNCH LA. LAUNCH LA leverages the region’s community colleges, K-12 districts, and Workforce Development Boards for developing programs and increasing pathways into apprenticeship both in traditional apprenticeships and new and innovative programs. 

“By integrating apprenticeship into these local organizations and institutions, LAUNCH LA acts as an intermediary and valued resource for community colleges to break down institutional and systemic silos and allows for everyone to work together to achieve our shared goals of bridging the gap between Los Angeles workers and high road employers,” concluded Dr. Narineh Makijan, Regional Chair/Assistant Vice President, Los Angeles Regional Consortium, hosted by Pasadena City College.. 

The 11 community colleges throughout Los Angeles County competitively received California Apprenticeship Initiative planning and implementation grants to advance the local workforce in manufacturing, healthcare, cybersecurity, and other industries.